Collapsible binoculars may be used at sporting events, concerts, operas, amusement parks and the like to enhance the view of distant objects. Such binoculars have highly practical characteristics and are generally inexpensive.
Collapsible and foldable binoculars are known in the prior art. Disadvantages, however, exist with the prior art binoculars. Many of the binoculars in the prior art are formed from a single blank having complicated fold arrangements to enable the binocular to be collapsed. Some of the binoculars, when collapsed, leave the lenses unprotected, and therefore, the lenses are easily scratched or damaged. The lenses are also unprotected when the binocular is being used. Other types of collapsible binoculars are not suited for convenient storage. The lenses of the binocular disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,111 protrude from the collapsed body and therefore, the binocular is not completely flat when collapsed or folded. Protruding lenses add cumbersome bulk to the binocular when it is collapsed, and are also more likely to be broken or damaged. The disadvantage of unprotected lenses has been overcome in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,239,328, and 4,478,498 by providing a case in which to store the folded binocular when it is not in use. In order to fit into the case, the binoculars have narrowly spaced fold lines which reduce the overall strength and durability of the binocular. Furthermore, the case must be stored or held when the binocular is being used.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,709, a visor which folds over the objective lens to protect the lenses is provided. A large number of fold lines are required to enable collapsing and folding the binocular, which make the binocular unsturdy. The collapsible binocular of U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,747 has modified visors on both the front and rear walls to protect the lenses. The visor on the front wall, however, prevents properly positioning the eyes near the eyepiece lenses.
According to the present invention, there is provided a collapsible binocular comprising a substantially rectangular open-sided housing having a front wall formed with a pair of objective lens apertures and a rear wall formed with a pair of eyepiece lens apertures. The top, bottom, front, and rear walls are integrally connected, and a flap is integrally connected to the front wall for attaching the top wall to the front wall. The top and bottom wall each have an intermediate transverse fold line. An elongated side wall member having a centered portion formed with a pair of objective lens apertures, a left side wall and right side wall each integrally connected to an end having an eyepiece aperture is affixed to the housing by an objective lens means and an eyepiece lens means. The objective lens means comprises a pair of objective lenses, a unitary objective lens case and a unitary objective lens case clip. The eyepiece lens means comprises a pair of eyepiece lenses, a unitary eyepiece lens case and a unitary eyepiece lens case clip. The unitary lens cases and clips are flexible and add durability and strength to the binocular. The lens cases and clips also protect the lenses when the binocular is being used and when collapsed and not in use. When the present invention is assembled, the objective lens apertures will be in alignment and the eyepiece lens apertures will be in alignment so as to place the eyepiece lens apertures in coincidence and in longitudinal alignment with the objective lens apertures. Fold lines on the housing and side wall member enable collapsing the binocular from an extended position to a collapsed position.
It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible binocular which overcomes the disadvantages of the configurations described above.
It is another object of this invention to provide a collapsible binocular wherein the eyepiece and objective lenses are protected when the binocular is in use or being stored.
It is another object of this invention to provide a collapsible binocular wherein the lenses are held by flexible, unitary lens cases and clips which add durability and strength to the body of the binocular.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from reading the specification including the attached drawings and appended claims.